Biopsy needle



@ H. TURKEL. EAWA M BIOPSY NEEDLE Filed Sept. 26, 1.947

w, a m m INVENTOR. HENRY WRMEL m latter in its operative position, and

Patented Jan. 31, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BIOPSY NEEDLE Henry Turkel, Detroit, Mich. Application September 26, 1947, Serial No. 775,169

6 Claims.

1 This invention relates to a biopsy needle for obtaining subcutaneous or deep-seated tissue or substances from any part of a body, to be used as specimens for analysis and microscopic examination.

Often due to the inherent resiliency of the tissue, for example muscle tissue, it is difficult to remove the biopsy specimen after it has been cut from the surrounding tissue by the particular hollow cutting needle employed.

On the other hand in the case where a specimen is sought from tissue which is not backed by a bone or other relatively immovable substance there is a tendency for the tissue in the area adjacent the cutting end of a needle to recede under the pressure of the needle preventing cutting thereinto.

It is therefore the principal object of this invention to provide a tissue holding and retaining means associated with the hollow cutting needle to overcome the aforementioned difliculties.

Other objects will be seen from the following specification and claims in conjunction with the appended drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view illustrating the positioning of a biopsy needle when in use.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the outer guide needle and its stylet positioned therein.

Fig. 3 is an elevational section thereof.

Fig. 4 is an elevational view of the outer needle with stylet removed and with the hollow cutting needle inserted and with the tissue secuing needle positioned within the cutting needle, said guide needle being sectioned for illustration.

Fig. 5 is an elevational section of the outer 1'.

guide needle, the cutting needle therein, with the tissue securing needle positioned within the Fig. 6 is an elevational view of the stylet for the hollow cutting needle.

It will be understood that the above drawing illustrates merely a preferable embodiment of the invention and that other embodiments are .contemplated within the scope of the claims hereafter set out.

In the drawing the outer guide needle, Figures 2 and 3, comprises a hollow hub I and a tube 2 projecting therefrom having an outer sharp bevelled end 3. with its op o ite end b ng se cured within the shoulder of said hub. The purpose of the outer guide needle is to cut through the skin and subcutaneous tissue without excising them as shown in Figure 1 and to d rect the inner cutting needle to the desired position in a manner hereinafter more fully set out.

A stylet 5 with pointed end 6 and head I is adapted for normal positioning within guide 'nee die 2 as shown in Fig. 2. Said stylet is slidably positioned within said needle and is removed therefrom only after the proper penetration of said needle is accomplished. as the initial step in performing a biopsy.

Collar 8 is slidably mounted upon guide needle 2 and secured in the desired adjusted position thereon by set screw 9 which frictionally bears on said needle. The leading surface ID of said collar is bevelled at substantially 45 degrees and acts as a guide to assure the insertion of needle 2 upon a corresponding-angle relative to the outer surface of the body or limb upon which a biopsy is to be performed. As shown in Fig. 1 said 'bevelled portion I 0 lies adjacent and substantially parallel to the outer surface of the patient's body or limb. Being adjustable said collar serves the futher function of limiting the extent of penetration of the hollow-guide needle 2.

Referring to Fig. 4 it is noted that stylet 5 has been removed and in its place is inserted hollow cutting needle II having outer tissue cutting end I2 which includes a plurality of sharpened circularly arranged "saw-like teeth. A hollow head or handle I3 is positioned at the opposite end of needle H having a pair of spaced preferably knurled annular shoulders I4 to facilitate manual rotation of needle II to effect cutting of the tissue specimen from the surrounding tissue as said needle is manually advanced within guide needle 2 from the position shown in Fig. 4 toits final position in Fig. 5, which for-purpose of illustration is approximately ten millimeters.

It will be remembered that cutting needle II --is inserted withinguide needle 2 after the latter distance of ten mm., for exam e, from the inner edge I6 of head I 3. Consequently when the indicatingmeans I 5 is in registry with the outer edge of the guide needle head I as in Fig. 4, :it is known to the operator or user that the cutting end I2 is at the end of the guide needle, and does not extend further. V

An intermediate indicating means I 1 is formed in needle I! to indicate when in registry with the outer edge of the guide needle handle, that :the cutting end I 2. of needle II has been projected 5 mm. beyond-the end of said guide needle. Furthermore when the edge I6 of handle I3 is in registry with the outer end of the guide needle 2,496,111 til-Ff In Fig. 4 a coiled spring 22 is positioned aroundbone tissue behind the tissue sought to be out, as said barbed end will retain the tissue sought from receding from the cutting end of the cutting needle as the latter is projected inwardly during the rotary cutting operation. It will be noted that needle H3 is only momentarily projected inwardly to grasp the tissue, and the handle is then released, and due to the expansive action of spring 22 said retaining needle will return approximately to the position shown in Fig. 4, or may project slightly beyond the outer end of cutting needle 82, having a firm grasp upon l the tissue to be cut.

shank as being secured at its outer end to handle 4 2| at point 23. Retaining needle I8 is s lid ably positioned within hollow cutting needle H and Referring to Fig. 6 a stylet 25 with handle 26 is shown which is adapted for positioning through hollow cutting needle I i when the securing needle with the free outer end of spring 22-loosely bearing against the outer end surface'of handle [3,

rounding tissue as said cutting needle is inwardly projected manually during its rotation; 7 "Normally the retaining needle [8 is loosely positioned within cutting'needle' during the cutting operation and may or may not be moved 'therein'inwardly compressing s'pring'22 depending upon the technique or purpose of the operator in securing a biopsy specimen.

As-view'ed in Fig. a cylindrical opening 24 is formed in the outer'open end of'cutting' needle head 13 to slidably receive shank forming a part of retaining needle l8 as the same is manuallypro'ject'ed thereinto at .the same time compressing spring '22. I The retaining needle l8 is'o'f such length that with sprin 22 'fully co1npressed,'the barbed end I9- thereof will extend'approxim'ately' 5mm. beyond the end, of the cutting needle I I;

In normal operation'it is preferable to move the retaining needle longitudinally inward of the cutting needle either before or during its insertion into" the tissue to be'cut away'arid then permit. "ting'release of the handle 21 whereby the cylin- "drical specimen which may be partially out or which is to be cutis firmly retained and secured during'completion of the cutting operation."

Consequently, on the completion 'ofthe cutting movement the barbed end ill of the retaining needle, "due to the expansive action of spring 22, will 'be"within'th'e cutting'en'd l2 of needle H firmly retaining'the biopsy specimen'ther'ein. 'It follows that removal of'the cutting needle from its guide needle 2 will cause the withdrawal of the out tissue specimen, with retaining needle acting to prevent said specimen from slipping out 'of the outer cutting end of the cut-tingnee'dle.

"Referring to Fig.4 "in normal operation with the cutting needle positioned assho'vvnwith its end adjacent the outer end dream guide needle, the retaining needle lais'next manually projected inwardly so that its barbed end" It will extend 'beyond the outer end of said' cutting needle 2. sufficient distance to imbed itself securely within the portion, of the tissue to be cut'as a biopsy "specimen; a

' This is particularly helpful where. there is no .ticularly l8 hasv been removed. Said stylet is normally intended to force the removal from said hollow cutting needle of any of the biopsy specimen which may be left therein upon withdrawal of the retaining needle Bil-from said. cutting needle.

Under some conditions retaining needle l8 may not be employed, and in that case the cut biopsy specimen will be lodged in the outer end of cutting needle l i. In this case stylet 25 will be par.-

efiective when inserted within' said needle to force the cut specimen therefrom, after said needle has been withdrawn from its guide needle.

Having described my invention, reference should now be had to the claims which follow for determ ning the scope thereof. I claim: 7 g

1. A biopsy instrument comprising sharp ended tubular sheathya hollow shaft rotatably positioned therein, shearing means on the end of said shaft adapted to project beyond the'endof said sheath, a needle slidably positioned within said shaft, and tissue gripping and reta ning means upon the end of needle associated and cooperable with said shearin means foriinmovably retaining the tissue during rotation and inward movement of shearing means;

;of, a needle slidabl-y positioned withinsaid shaft,

barbed. tissue retaining means upon one end of said needle corresponding to and associated with said shearing means, and a head upon the end of said needle normally in spaced relation to the other end of said shaft, nee pg of such length that said retaining means are normally withinv said shearing means, but whichproject beyondsaid shearing means when said spaced relation is reduced for cooperation therewith dur;

ing rotation and inward movementthereof-for retaining the tissue while being sheared and moved from the surrounding tissue.

4. A biopsy instrument comprising a sharp ended tubular sheath, a hollow shaft rotatably tre positioned therein and having a hollow head at one end thereof, saw-like shearing means on' its other end, adapted to project beyond the end of said sheath, a needle having a head on one' end thereof slidably' positioned Within said shaft and its head, and barbed tissue retaining means upon the other end of said needle associated and cooperable with said shearing means and effective to secure the tissue while being sheared and re moved from the surrounding tissue during rotation and inward movement of said shearing means.

5. A biopsy instrument comprising a sharp ended tubular sheath, a hollow shaft rotatably positioned therein, shearing means on the end of said shaft adapted to project beyond the end of said sheath, a needle slidably positioned within said shaft, tissue gripping and retaining means upon the end of said needle associated and cooperable with said shearing means for immovably retaining the tissue during rotation and inward movement of said shearing means, and a spring interposed between said needle and shaft to normally maintain said retaining means within and adjacent to said shearing means.

6. A biopsy instrument comprising a hollow shaft, shearing means on one end thereof, a needle slidably positioned within said shaft, barbed tissue retaining means upon one end of said needle corresponding to and associated with REFEBENGES CITED The following references are of record in the oi this patent:

UNITED STATES P'ATENTS Number Name Date 1,646,311 Dawes Aug. 23, 1927 l,86'!,624 Hoffman July 19, 1932 2,426,535 Turkel Aug. 26, 1947 

